Director demographics and statistics in the US
Director demographics research summary. Zippia estimates director demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our director estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about directors after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 84,209 directors currently employed in the United States.
- 46.8% of all directors are women, while 53.2% are men.
- The average director age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of directors is White (65.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (14.5%), Black or African American (7.9%) and Asian (6.4%).
- Directors are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- New York, NY pays an annual average wage of $139,575, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women directors earned 97% of what men earned.
- New York is the best state for directors to live.
- Directors are 46% more likely to work at public companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Director demographics by:
Director gender statistics
46.8% of directors are women and 53.2% of directors are men.
- Male, 53.2%
- Female, 46.8%
Director gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 53.2% |
| Female | 46.8% |
Director gender pay gap
Women earn 97¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$112,412
Female income
$109,492
Director gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in director positions over time. Currently, 46.8% of directors are female.
Director gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 54.08% | 45.92% |
| 2011 | 54.18% | 45.82% |
| 2012 | 56.91% | 43.09% |
| 2013 | 51.51% | 48.49% |
| 2014 | 54.08% | 45.92% |
| 2015 | 56.10% | 43.90% |
| 2016 | 54.05% | 45.95% |
| 2017 | 55.69% | 44.31% |
| 2018 | 51.81% | 48.19% |
| 2019 | 53.01% | 46.99% |
| 2020 | 56.10% | 43.90% |
| 2021 | 53.19% | 46.81% |
Director related jobs gender ratio
We compared directors with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, 19d cavalry scout and baseball player have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Harpist | 8% | 92% |
| Actress | 8% | 92% |
| Modern Dancer | 8% | 92% |
| Director | 53% | 47% |
| Assistant Varsity Football Coach | 98% | 2% |
| Baseball Player | 98% | 2% |
| 19D Cavalry Scout | 99% | 1% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Director demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among directors is White, which makes up 65.5% of all directors. Comparatively, 14.5% of directors are Hispanic or Latino and 7.9% of directors are Black or African American.
- White, 65.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 14.5%
- Black or African American, 7.9%
- Asian, 6.4%
- Unknown, 5.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
Director race
| Director race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 65.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 14.5% |
| Black or African American | 7.9% |
| Asian | 6.4% |
| Unknown | 5.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.1% |
Director race and ethnicity over time
See how director racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Director race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 71.36% | 7.95% | 4.67% | 12.86% |
| 2011 | 71.66% | 7.86% | 5.14% | 12.64% |
| 2012 | 73.46% | 7.48% | 4.67% | 11.63% |
| 2013 | 72.73% | 6.87% | 5.12% | 12.89% |
| 2014 | 71.08% | 8.35% | 5.32% | 12.01% |
| 2015 | 70.66% | 7.73% | 4.53% | 13.54% |
| 2016 | 69.82% | 8.08% | 5.59% | 13.17% |
| 2017 | 71.81% | 7.75% | 5.63% | 11.48% |
| 2018 | 71.27% | 7.42% | 6.19% | 11.87% |
| 2019 | 70.61% | 7.05% | 6.45% | 12.59% |
| 2020 | 68.26% | 6.55% | 5.69% | 13.96% |
| 2021 | 65.52% | 7.88% | 6.36% | 14.49% |
Director wage gap by race
According to our data, white directors have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american directors have the lowest average salary at $109,531.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $110,673 |
| White | $115,350 |
| Black or African American | $109,531 |
| Asian | $114,427 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $112,185 |
Average director age
See how the average age of directors varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Director age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 41.5 | 33 |
| White | 40 | 39 |
| Black or African American | 40 | 38.5 |
| Asian | 42 | 35.5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 38 | 35 |
Director age breakdown
The average age of directors is 40+ years years old, representing 49% of the director population.
Director age breakdown
| Director Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 49% |
| 30-40 years | 34% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Director educational attainment
The most common degree for directors is bachelor's degree, with 64% of directors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 18% and master's degree degree at 10%.
- Bachelor's, 64%
- Master's, 18%
- Associate, 10%
- Doctorate, 3%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Directors by degree level
| Director degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 64% |
| Master's | 18% |
| Associate | 10% |
| Doctorate | 3% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Director jobs you might like
Director wage gap by degree level
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $125,920 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $113,356 |
Director employment statistics
Most directors work for a public in the finance industry.
Company size where directors work
Below, you can see the size of companies where directors work.
Director jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 12% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 12% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 3% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 20% |
| > 10,000 employees | 46% |
Director jobs by company type
Employees with the director job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most directors prefer to work at public companies over private companies.
Director jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 12% |
| Public | 46% |
| Private | 39% |
| Government | 3% |
Director jobs by industry
The most common industries for directors are finance, technology and education.
Director industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Fortune 500 | 22% |
| Finance | 10% |
| Education | 9% |
| Technology | 9% |
| Health Care | 8% |
| Professional | 8% |
| Media | 5% |
| Retail | 5% |
| Non Profits | 5% |
| Manufacturing | 4% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Pharmaceutical | 2% |
| Government | 2% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Director turnover and employment statistics
Director unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for directors between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Director unemployment rate by year
| Year | Director unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 9.11% |
| 2011 | 9.01% |
| 2012 | 10.36% |
| 2013 | 7.36% |
| 2014 | 6.86% |
| 2015 | 6.65% |
| 2016 | 6.72% |
| 2017 | 5.97% |
| 2018 | 4.46% |
| 2019 | 5.46% |
| 2020 | 11.43% |
| 2021 | 9.18% |
Average director tenure
The average director stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 153,575 directors resumes in Zippia's database.
Director tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 13% |
| 1-2 years | 34% |
| 3-4 years | 18% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 7% |
| 11+ years | 12% |
Director LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of directors that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Scorekeeper | 5.42% | 674 |
| Stock Car Driver | 6.54% | 29,251 |
| Wrestling Coach | 7.62% | 14,452 |
| Guitar Player | 8.54% | 302 |
| Amusement Park Entertainer | 13.74% | 1,053 |
| Director | 14.31% | - |
| Orchestra Director | 30.45% | 4,789 |
Similar director jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Scorekeeper | 5.42% | 674 |
| Stock Car Driver | 6.54% | 29,251 |
| Wrestling Coach | 7.62% | 14,452 |
| Guitar Player | 8.54% | 302 |
| Amusement Park Entertainer | 13.74% | 1,053 |
| Orchestra Director | 30.45% | 4,789 |
Foreign languages spoken by directors
The most common foreign language among directors is Spanish at 48.4%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 13.2% and German is the third-most popular at 5.4%.
- Spanish, 48.4%
- French, 13.2%
- German, 5.4%
- Chinese, 4.7%
- Italian, 3.9%
- Other, 24.4%
Director languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 48.4% |
| French | 13.2% |
| German | 5.4% |
| Chinese | 4.7% |
| Italian | 3.9% |
| Other | 24.4% |
